Project development systems allow a user to develop and manage a project, among other things. Such systems can support various types of projects, including marketing projects, design projects, manufacturing projects, consulting projects, development projects, and any combination thereof. Project development systems can include project development applications that run on computing devices used for managing one or more projects.
Project development systems often use a project structure to describe a given project. In general, a project structure maps real-world aspects of a project, such as timelines and tasks, into an electronically accessible format. For example, many project development systems describe a start, finish, and other schedule dates of a project, the tasks that are performed and the results that are achieved during the project, and the data objects that are generated by the project or used to complete the project.
A Gantt chart is an example of a project structure that can be used to describe a given project. A Gantt chart is a graphical representation that shows the time dependency of several tasks of a project within a calendar. A Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to plan, coordinate, and track specific tasks in a project.
In particular, a Gantt chart displays a bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary of a project. Typically the charts begin in an upper left “X” and “Y” starting coordinate where each graph element takes up space by a horizontal bar rule. Although a Gantt chart is easily comprehended for small projects that fit on a single sheet or screen, they can become unwieldy for projects with more than about thirty activities. Larger Gantt charts may not be suitable for most computer displays due to excessive horizontal and vertical scrolling. A typical Gantt chart can include a calendar constructed with a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. The horizontal axis represents the total time span of the project. The time span of the project can be broken down into divisions (or increments), e.g., days, weeks, or months. The vertical axis represents the tasks associated with the project. Horizontal bars of varying lengths represent the sequences, timing, and duration for each task. A table (or hierarchy diagram) can be displayed next to the Gantt chart that contains additional information about the tasks. A new approach for implementing Gantt charts is needed in view of the increased complexity of projects.